The Unification of Japan; Neo-Confucianism and Christianity and Dutch Learning (744-749)



Neo-Confucianism in Japan
The sons of merchants, and the children of govenment officials recieved a formal education about neo-Confucian values.
By the 18th century neo-confucianism had become the official ideology of the Tokugawa bakufu.

Native Learning
Native learning disregarded neo-Confucianism and Buddhism as alien cultural imports.
Many scholars of native learning thought of Japanese people as superior, and foreign influence as perverse.
While scholars of native learning and neo-Confuciansim debated issues of Japenese identity, prosperous merchant classes encouraged the development of popular culture.
17th and 18th century- middle class flourished in big cities.

Floating Worlds
"floating worlds" were entertainment, and pleaure areas. (teahouses, theaters)
The center of Tokugawa (cities) were the "Floating worlds"
Ihara Saikaku (1642-1693) was one of Japan's most famous poets. He created a genre of literature, "books of the floating world."
Ihara wrote about love.
17th century- new forms of drama appeared. Kabuki theater was a type that featured lively performances with dancing, and singing. Actors who performed the kabuki had to improvise a lot.
Another new form was bunraku- puppet theater.

Christian and Dutch Learning
Jesuit Francis Xavier traveled to Japan in 1549 to seek converts to Christianity.
By the 1580s about 150,000 Japanese had converted to Christianity.
In 1615- 300,000 Japanese Christians
Some of the Japanese that converted to Christianity rejected their faith because they were frustrated that the European missionaries wouldn't let them become priests.

Anti-Christian Campaign
Shoguns between 1587 and 1639 ordered a halt to Christian missions.
They tortured and executed European missionaries and Japanese Christians who refused to leave the islands.
Jesuit Christovao Ferreira- he gave up Christianity after getting tourtured. He convered to Buddhism and interrogated many Europeans in the mid-seventeenth century.

7 Year War
The sun king wanted to expand his borders east into germany
also wanted to conquer Spain and the Spanish Netherlands
When Louis wanted to do this, it prompted England, the United Provinces, and Austria
Later during the War, France, Austria, and Russia turned against Britian and Prussia
These conflicts merged with conflicts between France and Britain in India and North America

American Food Crops
Food production in the Americas improved nutrition and decreased mortalities in Europe
The columbian Exchange enriched Europeans diet
most noted food introduced to Europe was the potato
potatoes provided europeans with the introduction of carbohydtrates
maize was also introduced but used mostly for feeding livestock